Prosecutor Justin Espie said Doyle's VW Polo was seen on the Denbigh Road at Mold at about 5pm on January 8.

It was dark and foggy and the road surface was wet and slippery.

He was seen by another motorist to mount the pavement six or seven times.

The other driver was so concerned he stopped him at the junction with Rhosesmor, leaned into the car, put the handbrake on and took the ignition keys.

Doyle, then of Voel Terrance in Shone's Lane, Rhosesmor, but now living in a flat in Cae Bragdy, Glanrafon Road, Mold, told him he just wanted to go home and claimed he had only had a couple of pints.

Police arrived and found Doyle to be totally incoherent and was unable to remain steady on his feet.

Doyle admitted driving with 137 microgrammes of alcohol in his breath compared to the legal limit of 35, just a few points off being four times over the limit.

Chairman Neville Phillips, at Flintshire Magistrates Court at Mold, told him the bench had a book of sentencing guidelines but his reading meant he was off the scale. 'This is very serious indeed,' he said.

Only a prison sentence was appropriate but in the circumstances a five-month prison sentence would be suspended for two years.

As part of the sentence, Doyle was ordered to undergo 18 months supervision with the probation service, including a drink impaired drivers' course.

He was also banned from driving for three years and was told by magistrates the aggravating features were the high reading and the poor standard of driving while clearly, seriously drunk.

Interviewed, he said he had drunk a quantity of lager and vodka with orange.

It had been arranged his daughter should pick him up, she was on the way and he had seen her pass on the road, but he had no explanation why he had decided to drive himself home.

Defending solicitor Phillip Lloyd Jones said his client regarded drink-drivers with disdain and was bitterly disappointed and ashamed of himself.